The increasing use of home and small business computers makes it imperative to reduce the effects of surfges, from whatever cause, on their electrical supply lines. A conventional location for a lightning arrestor/surge protector is at the point of service--where the utility service drop wires connect to the customer's service entrance conductors. This point, at the service head, usually about ten feet from grade, is not readily accessible for installation or maintenance of such protective devices, although the instant invention provides one embodiment suitable for such locations.
A location almost as satisfactory is the loadcenter which serves as service equipment, and is usually only a few feet from the service head. The loadcenter contains the circuit breakers, including the main breaker if one is used.
The instant invention incorporates a surge protector within an enclosure similar in size and shape to a molded-case "plug-in" type circuit breaker. This procedure may be used with circuit breakers and loadcenters of virtually any American manufacturer.
It is not the intent of this application to disclose a novel surge protector, but rather an enclosure and mounting means for a protector best suited for the specific requirements of the loads connected to the loadcenter.
Aside from the ease of installation and removal of the device, the solid contacts at the line and ground terminations help to dissipate any heat of operation. The grounding conductor, deliberately oversized to reduce impedance to the flow of the surge current also helps to dissipate surge-induced heat. The large volume and crosssectional area of non-linear resistive material that may be enclosed within a case of, say, 3 inches.times.4 inches.times.1/2 inch in thickness and contact supporting structure, is substantial, when contrasted with the one-inch diameter varistor devices frequently employed for thsi application. Within the case is space for a failure-indicating device, as well as for a fuse to limit the follow- current, in the event of a lightning stroke.